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tion in this field is an ongoing process. There are cybersecurity
academies that train professionals in the latest developments.
The Cyber Security Academy in Monroe, Washington, offers sev-
eral different courses, including training for certified ethical hack-
ing, which is the practice of finding the weak spots of a system by
attempting to hack into it.

Certification and Licensing
Licensing of DSAs is not required by any state or federal agen-
cies, but many analysts pursue them to show the scope of their
knowledge. Important certifications in the field include the sys-
tems security certified practitioner, the SANS Institute certificates,
the certified information systems security professional (CISSP),
and the certified information security manager. The CISSP cer-
tification, for instance, requires five years of professional experi-
ence, but candidates may substitute a year of relevant education
or another approved credential.
Everybody in the field has an opinion on the merits of these
certifications, many of which come with their own specialized
classes, instructors, books, and practice examinations. The SANS
Institute, for example, is one of several trusted companies that
offer courses in the network defense, digital forensics, and other
security measures. Grimes remarks, “If I see that someone has a
SANS certification, then I know they’re on top of their stuff.”

Volunteer Work and Internships

Volunteers are welcome at many organizations to assist with data
security. Smaller companies, start-ups, schools, and nonprofits
may not have the budget to hire an outside security consultant
or a paid staff member to do the job. In return for managing their
data or tutoring their staffs in best practices, these organizations
offer volunteers the experience of applying their systems and
communication skills in a real-world situation.
Internships in data security are offered by consulting firms as
well as private and public companies and government agencies
at the state and federal level. The Central Intelligence Agency, for

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